1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a mechanical device for blocking flexible strands, such as cables, ropes, strings, laces, or any other such product.
The invention relates more particularly to the blocking of laces for shoes, boots, and other articles of footwear.
The invention further relates more particularly to the field of sports, specifically footwear for snowboarding, downhill skiing, cross-country skiing, bicycling, walking, hiking, and other activities.
2. Description of Background and Relevant Information
It is known to block flexible strands, particularly the laces of articles of footwear, by means of a blocking device.
For instance, French Patent Publication No. 2 706 743 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,477,593 disclose a blocking device that acts at least on one strand, such as at least one strand of a lace. According to these documents, the device has a pushing device that defines the rotational axis of a blocking member, as well as a hollow body, one cavity of which defines at least one path for the passage of each strand, on the one hand, and a housing for the blocking member, on the other hand. The latter has a circular form and is free in rotation about the axis that is itself movable in translation.
The device according to FR 2 706 743 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,477,593 functions by cooperation of the blocking member with each path for the blocking of each strand through a wedging effect. The blocking member is elastically biased in the direction for blocking the strand(s) by acting on its rotational axis.
In this manner, although it is elastically biased, the blocking member remains free in rotation and allows balancing the tensions on the two strands of the lace, even when there is a difference between the forces exerted on the strands. The blocking is therefore still achieved.
The reverse operation, that of unblocking, is obtained by manual action on the pushing device against the elastic bias.
It has been noted that the unblocking operation is not always easy.
Indeed, in order to make it more compact, the pushing member is pressed against the hollow body. This requires the user to hold the hollow body at the same time that the pushing member is displaced when it is desired to unblock the lace. The holding of the body in conjunction with the displacement of the pushing member can be a relatively difficult operation. It is even more difficult when the size of the device is made to be relatively small.
Additionally, the device is often housed in an area that is hard to reach and is cramped. This is the case, for example, for certain applications in the field of boots having flaps, the device being positioned in a space between flaps. Consequently, the accessibility to the device is reduced, which contributes to the difficulty in actuating the pushing member.
Finally, the unblocking is even more difficult when the user wears gloves, as the latter hinder the manipulation of the device.
Each of the aforementioned factors can contribute to hindering the unblocking operation.